Shakespeare's "Taming of the Shrew" on the Boston Common

www.freeshakespeare.org

The Wang Center for the Performing Arts presents Free Shakespeare on the Common - THE TAMING OF THE SHREW ~ July 22 - August 13, 2006
www.freeshakespeare.org

(pics from www.boston.com) Petruchio getting his bride Katherine/Petruchio trying to seduce Katherine

**I caught it on August 13 on a beautiful night from 7pm til 10pm. They have been performing for 10 years on the Commons.
(from the above website)
A classic comedy full of deception and disguises, THE TAMING OF THE SHREW has always been one of Shakespeare’s most popular works. It is the story of a wealthy merchant and his two daughters: the young, kind Bianca, and the conversely fierce and forthright Katherine. Bianca, who has no shortage of suitors, is forbidden to marry before her older sister is wed, so the crude, fortune-hunting Petruchio is enlisted to court Katherine. With her father’s authority, the two are married and Petruchio is on a mission to tame his wild bride. One of Shakespeare’s earlier comedies, it’s a romp through the war between the sexes with a lively and irresistibly witty plot. THE TAMING OF THE SHREW has had thousands of stage productions, has been adapted into several feature films, and is the inspiration for the Broadway musical, Kiss Me Kate

I enjoyed the Boston references from the background using the historic traditional North End (Boston's Little Italy) to Revere Beach. Instead of using an Italian town name they used "Bostonia". I enjoyed the 1940's feel and the costumes were extremely colorful. The verbal sparring between Katherine and Petruchio was great. I did not care for the ending as it still doesn't seem to realistic how "tame" she is at the end caushing her beloved husband to win his bet withthe other men. (UGGGH! Maybe because of my upbringing I feel this way.)


I want to thank my pal CC for bringing his folding lawn chairs! They were great and it sure beat sitting on the lumpy grass (not all areas were fully seeded with plus green grass. Plus our snacks from the nearby Chinatown bakery and drinks were nice refreshment under a beautiful sunday sunset and cool breezes (not for a second reminded us of our hellish heat wave in July).